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Predators match Shea Weber offer sheet (14 years, $110M)

After a season where the Nashville Predators looked like they finally had some pieces in place and were set for a deep run, you really couldnít draw up a worst start to the summer. After being ousted in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs by the Phoenix Coyotes, things have gone downhill.

Already subtracting some offense in cutting ties with Andrei Kostitsyn and Alex Radulov, the Preds watched star defenseman Ryan Suter walk to the Minnesota Wild for an absurd amount of money. Now the focus turns to Shea Weber, and it isnít pretty.

Weber and the Preds went to arbitration last year, but will not be doing so this summer. That leaves the Preds with a limited amount of what they can actually do with the restricted free agent defenseman.

As a restricted free agent, other teams can sign Weber to an offer sheet, forcing Nashville to either match the offer or let him walk and take the draft picks. If the Preds match the offer, they canít trade him at any point during the season and he can walk away to a new club, when he becomes an unrestricted free agent.

There are already a number of teams that have interest in Shea Weber, with the Philadelphia Flyers and Detroit Red Wings likely serving as two of the bigger players there. Either one could offer sheet Weber if heís not made available for trade. Even if the Preds match, it pretty much sends Weber to the market, unrestricted. And shows him that whatever team offer sheets him means business.

If Weber has no interest in signing a long term deal to remain in Nashville, the Preds could also end up looking the route of a trade at some point. With Ryan Suterís departure, it certainly seems like Weber could look to find his way out of Nashville as well, if they canít replace Suterís presence on the blue line.

A year before he can go unrestricted, teams are already beginning their posturing for Shea Weber. And things are going to get very interesting. No matter the way it plays out, Shea Weber is going to find himself a very rich man. After all, if Ryan Suter managed to pull $98 million from the Minnesota Wild, what do you think his better half is worth?

We could end up finding out very soon. And that might be bad news for the Nashville Predators.

Poile should offer Weber a big contract, like Crosby's. If Weber balks on the contract that should indicate to Poile that Weber is going to walk. Now, it is time to put him on the trading block. The Preds really can't afford to lose Weber for nothing. The Preds will get a ton of assets for Weber because a lot of teams will be in the bidding to land him - look at Suter. As I just mentioned in a thread I started, the Preds could then trade some of those assets to CBJ for Rick Nash. The Preds have always needed scoring and they would be getting a big, power foward that can score with a long term contract. The Preds aren't on Nash's list of teams to be traded to, but how could he resist coming to Nashville, the city is already named after him. If he is single, hook him up with Taylor Smith. What, it on worked on Mike Fisher with Carrie Underwood?

Check out the Blue Jackets off season. They only HAD once decent player and now he's gone for a bag of pucks. But I feel for you. Even though my team is the one that put yours in a bad situation, I feel for Preds fans. It's been one huge nut kick after another for you guys.

Check out the Blue Jackets off season. They only HAD once decent player and now he's gone for a bag of pucks. But I feel for you. Even though my team is the one that put yours in a bad situation, I feel for Preds fans. It's been one huge nut kick after another for you guys.

It's ok Nashville, feel for this Flyers fan when his goaltender can't stop a beach ball come playoff time again.

The Predators have matched the 14-year, $110 million offer sheet between Shea Weber and the Flyers.

Many thought the Predators wouldn't be able to match, but the captain will remain in Nashville for likely the duration of his career as a result, signing the largest contract in franchise history. In a team release, the organization felt that Weber was the person it wanted to lead the Predators long-term, that he was a guy to build around for the future and that it wanted to send a message to Predators players and other teams that it would do what it takes to keep its best players in the fold. After losing Ryan Suter this offseason, the departure of Weber could've been disastrous, but seeing Preds ownership step up is nice to see. What the Flyers look to next is another question, but that will likely be one of the next most intriguing offseason storylines.